Q&A With Jarrod Richards

Jarrod Richards

Age: 26

Height: 190cm

Club From: Pines (Mornington Peninsula Football League)

Experience: Has played 101 games for Pines Football Club and Rye Football Club (MPFL) since 2017.

Firstly, what draws you to Subiaco? It's a big move to come over and play for the Lions!

I visited Perth a couple of years back and loved it. From then on, it was always in the back of my mind to make the move over. I spent some time at Frankston Dolphins in the VFL but due to injury and COVID I didn’t really get an opportunity to play at the state level. I then spent a couple years playing local and was keen to give state level another crack. Knowing and talking to some ex-Subiaco players (Chad Harris and Bailey Holt) about how much they enjoyed playing over here was pretty convincing.

After a meeting with Beau and learning where he sees the club going in the future, I got really excited and made the choice pretty easily. I can’t wait to be a part of it!

I’d also like to thank Beau for the opportunity to play at such a great and respected club and for making the move over so easy.

What's your favourite thing about WA so far?

It’s pretty hard to beat the weather over here, but meeting and getting to know all the boys and coaches, who have been really welcoming, might top it. The training standards and environment at the club is really attractive and have been second to none. I love the competitiveness within the group and how invested all the boys are in making themselves and each other better.

You and Archer May represent two different sides of the Victorian Football machine; whereas Archer hails from Talent Leagues and the VFL you're here representing the regional leagues, in a sense. Is there much difference in the type of football you both play? Is there a distinct Pines/Rye flavour to your game style that you'll bring into Subi?

Playing mostly at regional and local level has really helped my football. Predominantly smaller grounds and lacking a bit of skill level compared to the state leagues causes the game style to be less free flowing and more contested around the ground. Being mostly an ‘outside’ player, it helped me learn to play and grow into a more physical and ‘inside’ player where I believe my best footy can be played.

With the recent move up forward thanks to Mick Ablett and Beau, I’ve been able to work closely with Archer May. There is a bit of difference between our game style; Archer’s aerial and contested marking is probably the best I’ve seen and I can’t wait to see him establish himself as one of the best forwards in the comp. I hope to bring the intensity I got from the local level to get busy on the ground, with repeat efforts and tackle pressure, to increase the amount of opportunities my team has to hit the scoreboard.

What are your personal goals for this season?

To keep fit and healthy, to always bring the pressure, to keep my teammates up and about, to play my role and to win a premiership.

Lastly, have you had a look at this year's fixture yet? Are there any specific games you're looking forward to?

I haven’t had a really good look at the fixture yet, I don’t really like to get too far ahead of myself. I’m looking forward to playing the first couple of rounds under lights, especially Round 1. I can't wait to have a solid hit out with the boys and get stuck into what’s hopefully a pretty successful season!

A word from Men’s Senior Coach Beau Wardman.

The new recruits haven't missed a trick throughout pre-season. They have all come to our club with a great attitude and bought into our culture which has been pleasing to see. Prior to their recruitment, I knew each of them had a drive for success and understood how our program would make them better players and people. ?

Jarrod is a competitive beast, he has a great appetite to win the ground ball and apply pressure. He has some exposure at either end of the ground. He is continuing to build his fitness which will allow greater positional flexibility but has been so professional since arriving and fitting in with the group. ??